Fast Car
by Tsuki No Shuurai
Summary: The story of Eileen Prince, her fall, her life. Rated T to be safe. Some violence, language, maybe sexual content. PLease R&R! This story was inspired by Tracy Chapman's excellent song, "Fast Car".
1. Chapter 1

**Fast Car**

**A Harry Potter Fanfiction by Eowyn Shadeslayer**

**Chapter 1**

Eileen nudged her companion hard in the ribs with her elbows, trying not to laugh herself. "Tobias, stop it."

He laughed, his blond hair swinging into his deep blue eyes. Tobias was handsome in a tough, almost criminal way; he was tall and had a scar on his cheek form a fight he had had. A silver skull earring hung from his left ear. He leaned against the leather seat of the car, still laughing his head off.

Eileen elbowed him hard the second time. "Knock it off, will you?" she laughed. "What's so funny?"

He just shook his head and exploded in whoops of yet more laughter. Eileen turned away, trying to stifle her own smile so that she wouldn't encourage him.

The girl in the rearview mirror was not pretty. She had long dark hair that hung lank around her pale face, and her heavy brows gave her a sullen appearance. Right now, though, she was smiling widely—it made her face feel stretched—and her cheeks were flushed, though the rest of her face was as pale as usual.

_That I would enjoy being with Tobias so much more than my own people, _she thought bitterly. _He doesn't even know what I can do, and he likes me anyways. _Here she didn't have to be a prefect and a pureblood and a Prince; she didn't have to be friendly to the Malfoys or the Blacks or that creepy Tom Riddle. Here, she could be what she wanted.

Tobias leaned back against the dusty seat. "You know, one of these days I'm gonna fix this thing up, " he said.

Eileen smiled at him. "It's already fast, "she reminded him.

His mouth twisted cynically. "It needs class, this old beater."

"But its fast," Eileen reminded him.

He smiled. "Yeah, it is. One of these days we'll fix it up and race it."

Eileen's breath caught. "We?"

"Sure. You've graduated from Whatsits Place, haven't you?"

"Yes," Eileen said.

"So?" He smirked.

"So what?" Mind games. She hated them. Tobias would never ask anything flat out.

"So…" his smirk was bigger now. "So, maybe…"

"Maybe what?"

"Maybe… _we _could…ahhh…take the next step?" Tobias looked her straight in the eye. "I've only known you a year, but I like you, Eileen. We've been going out…"

"Practically since I met you?" Eileen smiled at him. "What are you asking?"

Tobias looked at his feet and said something fast and garbled.

Eileen laughed. "What? Speak clearer, Tobias."

"Do you want to…marry me?" he asked, slower this time.

_Oh no. Please don't ask me this. Please. _"I don't know, " she said carefully. "It's such a big step…"

"Please, think about it, Eileen. I don't care how long it takes you. Just…think about it."

"I will," she said. "But not tonight. Let's just have fun tonight, okay?"

He laughed. "Okay." He started up the car; it roared into life like a horse straining at the bit. "Ready?"

She nodded and fastened her seat belt. Tobias didn't bother. He simply set his foot to the gas and watched as the speedometer climbed up to forty miles per hour….then fifty… seventy…

The car zipped along the empty dead end road, past the cemetery and out to where no houses stood. The air whipped through Eileen's opened window, drawing an exhilarated yell form her throat.

They were driving into the sunset.


	2. Chapter 2

**Fast Car**

**A Harry Potter fanfiction by Eowyn Shadeslayer**

**Chapter 2**

"Eileen!"

A loud knocking noise broke Eileen's peaceful dreams. She groaned and raised her head from her pillow. She was lying full-length on her bed, on top of the blankets, where she had thrown herself at one in the morning, her head buzzing pleasantly with tiredness and alcohol. She should have remembered that she'd wake up with a sour mouth and an aching head.

"Eileen, get up!" It was not her mother's voice, or her father's. It was her cousin's. She groaned at the very thought.

"Get lost, Belladonna."

The door opened. Belladonna Prince walked calmly into the room, her long black hair hanging around a much prettier face than Eileen's. Older by 5 years, her cousin had ice blue eyes form her mother, who had Malfoy blood. _No wonder Gerard Black is so eager to marry her, _she thought bitterly. _Related to two different pure-blooded families and beautiful._

"What do you want?" Eileen sat up, swallowing her nausea. Her head surged with pain. "This is my room, you know."

Belladonna ignored her, as usual. She bent forward and sniffed at Eileen. "Your breath smells of beer. Don't tell me you were out with that Muggle again."

"It's none of your business." Eileen ran a comb through her hair, wincing as itsnagged.

Belladonna gave her a sickly sweet smile. "I could always tell Aunt Lissa, you know, " she said. "Or Uncle Jonathan."

Eileen shrugged. "So tell them, " she said, defiant. "I don't like Tom Riddle, I don't want him, and I'd like it if you kept your nose out of my business."

Belladonna sniffed. "Well, if Riddle was courting me, I'd stop trying to avoid him by running around with a Muggle. He's decent looking, probably the best _you_ can hope for."

Eileen bit back an angry retort. _I hate her. I hat her and her superior beauty. _"So are you going to tell, then?"

Belladonna shrugged. "If you did me a favor or two, I might be more willing to keep your secret."

Eileen sighed. _Here we go again. _"What do you want?"

"Show me how you always win at Gobstones," Belladonna said. It was the same response as usual.

Eileen settled down to explain her "secrets" to her cousin for the hundred thousandth time.


	3. Chapter 3

**Fast Car**

**A Harry Potter fanfiction by Eowyn Shadeslayer**

**Chapter 3**

Eileen didn't leave the house all day, as was her custom after sneaking out to see Tobias. It raised less suspicion, and she had no risk of seeing him until their next pre-arranged meeting. Her face was a dead giveaway whenever she saw him, and her pale skin flushed easily and very noticeably, so it was best to avoid spotting him when her parents were around.

Nobody ever questioned Eileen's habit of sitting quietly indoors, playing Gobstones, reading, or working on homework. Even at Hogwarts, she had gotten a reputation for being quiet and antisocial. Even the members of her winning Gobstones team didn't speak to her much. Sometimes, Eileen felt as if her voice didn't exist at all.

Belladonna, of course, hung around all day, talking, talking, and talking some more. It made it hard for Eileen to concentrate on her book, but she tolerated it. After all, Belladonna knew her secret and could easily tell her mother. Or worse, her father.

Jonathan Prince walked into the sitting room, where his niece and daughter sat, Belladonna chattering about Gerard Black, Eileen reading, as usual. Both of them looked up at his entrance. Jonathan was definitely hard to miss.

He was tall, almost ungracefully so, and very thin. His hair hung into his face as Eileen's did, highlighting his pallor and his hard, black eyes. He wasn't very attractive, nor was he openly menacing, but there was something about him that tended to make people uncomfortable.

"Eileen?" he said, his voice sharp.

She looked up. His eyes were impenetrable, not telling her anything about what she was in for.

"There's a young…visitor for you, at the door," he said.

Eileen sighed inwardly. _Brilliant. Tom Come-Walk-With-Me-I-Want-To-Get-To-Know-You-Riddle. _His first words to her had been "How much blood have you got?"

Belladonna nudged her. "Come on, Eileen. Your _beau _is here for you."

Eileen quickly went through several ways she could get out of meeting him. It took too long, though; moments later, Lissa Black was walking through the door with a tall, dark-haired, hollow-cheekedly handsome young man.

"Eileen?" Her mother was smiling wide. Despite Tom Riddle being only half-blooded, both her parents had taken to him immediately. He had more blood-consciousness than many of the pure-bloods with whom the family socialized. "Mr. Riddle is here to see you."

Riddle bowed slightly. "Good afternoon, Eileen. And how is Miss Belladonna?

Belladonna fluttered her lashes. Obviously, although her engagement to Gerard Black was practically sealed, she still felt no trepidation at flirting with the handsome Riddle. "Very well, Mr. Riddle. How are you?"

"Well." Riddles dark eyes were fixed on Eileen, as usual. Eileen suppressed a shudder. The way he looked at her made her feel sullied. She filled her mind with Tobias and gave him a fake smile.

Lissa looked at Jonathan, and then said, "Come, Belladonna dear. I need your help in the kitchen. The house-elf has shut his hand in the oven door and I shall need your assistance getting it free."

_Like you care, _Eileen thought. _You just know you won't have a five course dinner tonight without Trenty._

Belladonna and Lissa left, followed by Jonathan, who said he had business to attend to in his study. Eileen sat uncomfortably on the sofa as Riddle sat down beside her. His hand came over hers, forcing her book down.

"You read too much," he said. "You shall have to work on that if you're to be my wife."

"I told you already," Eileen said. "I like to read."

She lifted the book again.

"You're so stubborn." The book was forced down again. "I'm sure you could come to…er….appreciate me."

No, I wouldn't, she thought, but instead she said"I want to read now."

"No, you don't." He took her chin in his hand and lowered his lips to hers.

Eileen pushed him away. "I've told you already—"she began heatedly.

At that moment, Trenty dashed into the room, his long ears and dishtowel robe flapping. With a very red and swollen hand, he was carrying a tray with drinks.

"Mistress Prince sent me to serve the young Miss and Master," he squeaked, sliding his other hand up under the tray to support it.

Riddle rose. "No. I have other business to attend to elsewhere. Eileen…in your ear…"

He bent towards her and whispered, "It is a very bad idea to play this game with me, Miss Prince. I am not to be disappointed. When I want something," he smiled, revealing his very white teeth, "_I get it._"

Out loud, he said, "I look forward to seeing you again, Eileen. Thank you for this pleasant visit."

He left. Moments later, Lissa was there, beaming all over her pretty face. Eileen had inherited all her father's looks and none of her mother's. Lissa was fair and elegant, with the same blue eyes as Belladonna.

"How did it go?" she asked.

Eileen shrugged.

"Is that all you have to say?"

"Yes."

Some of her bitterness must have shown in her tone. Lissa's eyes narrowed.

"He's a good catch, Eileen, much better than any other young men who have courted you. Don't be rude to him. He's going to be powerful, that one, and our family would better for association with him…."

Eileen tuned out the rest of the lecture about blood purity and family alliances. _Really, it's all a load of claptrap, and she doesn't even see it._

"…Now, I ask you again; how did it go?"

Eileen sighed, and told her what she wanted to hear. "It went very well, Mother."


End file.
